landsharkhockey

36 Years Old • Male

Trade Deadline - Fantasy Impact

Yes, for fans who were expecting a grand fireworks finale coming off the Olympic high, Trade Deadline Day was a bit of a let down. To the casual fan, not a single trade made yesterday would register more than an "Oh. Is he any good?" However, to the fantasy hockey nut (which I assume you are, since you're reading this), there was plenty of fallout from what did, and what did not go down yesterday.

Ryan Whitney (D - EDM) for Lubomir Visnovsky (D - ANA)
It was a late breaker, but on a slow day, this qualified as big news. The Ducks made a bold move by taking on a long term, high-value contract on D, but with Pronger gone and Niedermeyer waving goodbye soon enough, it was a wise move. If you were lucky enough to have Vishnovsky on your roster, you've got to love this deal. He goes from Siberia to California Sunshine, both in terms of climate, and in terms of fantasy value. The big Czech defenseman will take his 10 goals to the powerful Ducks power play. He had been on a bit of a dry spell, but blame that on environment. He should finish strong in Anaheim.

On the other hand, Whitney was just getting by as a depth defensemen in the fantasy world. If you were on the fence about dropping him, this should seal the deal. Don't expect grand things from anyone in Edmonton over the next 6 weeks, particularly a guy struggling to find his way like Whitney.

Joe Corvo (D) to Washington
It was disappointing to see Carolina throwing in the towel, since the team has been on such a strong run lately. Though most of the players moved were 3rd and 4th liners, Corvo was a heavy blow. From Corvo's perspective, this should be a boost down the stretch. Nobody scores like the Caps, and Corvo is a power play weapon. He should complement Green nicely breaking out of the zone, and should rack up the assists. The loser in this deal will most likely be Tom Poti, as he will probably lose a lot of his time on the power play.

Denis Grebeshkov (D) to Nashville
Grebeshkov has been fighting through injuries all season, but after a strong Olympic performance, seems to be ready to go for the stretch. Getting out of Edmonton would normally be a good thing; however, he has landed on a team already crowded on the blueline and weak up front. Unless the Preds plan to be the first team in history to run with 3 defensemen on the power play, this move ultimately won't benefit Grebeshkov all that much. If you had him, keep him. Otherwise, he's still a bubble option on the waivers if you're looking for a replacement on D.

No Deal for the Flyers
After Ray Emery went down for the season, most observers expected the Flyers to grab a #1 goalie. Their lack of movement may hurt the team come playoff team, but it means you need to consider picking up Michael Leighton and/or Brian Boucher. Leighton seems to be getting the starts right now, but Boucher has the experience and may be the option going into the playoffs. The Flyers are finding their game, and should put up the wins down the stretch. Both goalies are available in most leagues.

Alex Ponikarovsky (F) to Pittsburgh
This deal may pay off big for the Penguins in the playoffs, as they add another secondary scoring winger. In the short term, don't be surprised to see a quick boost in Ponikarovsky's production, as he'll most likely see some time next to Malkin out of the gate. He might still be available on the wire in your league, but he'll be probably be gone by tomorrow.

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